History

admin on 10 10, 2009 | 1 Comment

About The Group Rep at the Lonny Chapman Theatre The acting company began May 1973 with a rag-tag group of 11 actors performing scenes for audiences in a laundromat-turned 36 seat theatre on Van Ness Boulevard. When Lonny Chapman first entered that theatre, the magic began. Here was an Artistic Director searching for a theatre and a theatre company searching for an Artistic Director. The match was perfect and the Group Repertory Theatre was born with Lonny Chapman at the helm. This partnership continued until his passing in 2007.

The first show, "Round Dance," an adaptation of Schnitzler's "La Ronde," was an immediate hit and the Group Rep was on its way. By 1974, with the growth in the number of productions, additional company members, as well as having acquired its professional status with Equity, Chapman suggested that a bigger space was needed. A new 58-seat venue was rented on Magnolia which began playing to sold out houses. The Group Rep's growth and success required yet a larger venue. In 1980, Chapman secured the current Burbank and Vineland location, which was renovated into its present configuration.

In 1999, Lonny was honored when the theatre's name officially became the "Lonny Chapman Theatre," home to the Group Repertory Theatre members.

The Group Rep is a permanent company of actors, directors, writers and technicians. The company has produced well over 2